Photo by Sam Sawyer
It’s been a long winter of waiting for Kayden Bradsher.
As a running back for the Orange football team, Bradsher left the field with his arm in a sling as the Panther’s season ended at Southeast Alamance in the 5A State Playoffs last November. Even then, he knew he wouldn’t return for opening day for baseball season against Riverside in February due to the subsequent surgeries.
Through Orange’s first ten games, he’s remained at every game as an unofficial assistant coach and a supporter. On Monday morning, he received final clearance to return to the lineup for that night’s game against Chapel Hill, the opening of the Hilltop Invitational, a traditional mid-season Spring Break event at Orange.
In his first at-bat of his junior season, Bradsher lined a single to right field, a release of emotion he waited six months for.
Bradsher’s experience combined with two pitchers recently called up from the junior varsity team led the Panthers to its third victory in four games.
Sophomore sidearmer Tyler Thompson earned his first win, allowing two hits over four innings as Orange scored nine runs in the third inning to defeat Chapel Hill 10-5 on Monday night. In his first varsity appearance, Oliver Vinson threw one-and-two-thirds innings, striking out three and allowing only one hit.
Orange had the ultimate two-out rally in the third. After Chapel Hill starter Aidan Cummings struck out Cam Brown and Ben Knowles to open the frame, eleven consecutive Panthers got on base, leading to nine runs and putting the game out of reach. By the time it was over, Orange sent 14 batters to the plate. Bradsher opened with a ground ball single to left field. Junior shortstop J.P. Rodio, who had filled in for Bradsher at shortstop, walked. Mason Bullard loaded the bases with a flair to right field. Bradsher tied the game after a bases-loaded walk by junior Oliver Van Tiem. Evan Parker was hit by a pitch, bringing in Rodio and putting the Panthers ahead 2-1.
Senior Wren Hash sent an opposite field grounder to right field to bring in Gavin Clayton, a courtesy runner for Bullard. Van Tiem scored off another bases loaded walk by Gary Miller. Knowles blooped a single to centerfield to score Parker and Hash, pushing Orange’s lead to 6-1. After Brown walked, Bradsher forced in another run with a base on balls to score Miller.
At that point, Cole Gwaltney, the son of former UNC football kicker Clint Gwaltney, came on to replace Cummings on the mound. In his second at-bat of the inning, Rodio reached on an infield single to play Knowles for the ninth and final run of the inning.
After Orange put eleven straight players on base, Gwaltney promptly retired eight Panthers in a row, which gave Chapel Hill a spark of life in the fifth, scoring four runs to put the Orange lead to 9-5.
Teagan Coyne Smith reached on an infield single to score Thomas Staats to third base. The throw from third base got away from Hash at first base, allowing Daniel Campos to come in.
Vinson replaced Thompson on the mound and struck out Cummings. Austin Campos scored off an infield single by Phineas Turner, and Coyne Smith would also come in off another throwing error.
With Orange’s lead at 9-5, Vinson recorded two strikeouts in the sixth to set the Tigers down in order. The Panthers picked up a crucial insurance run when Van Tiem knocked in Rodio with a hard grounder into centerfield.
Senior Ryan Sawyer threw a scoreless seventh to end the game.
Orange will play two more games in the Hilltop Invitational this week. The Panthers will host Rolesville at 7PM Tuesday night (tonight). On Wednesday night, Orange will face Voyager Academy.
The event will have doubleheaders on Tuesday and Wednesday, all at Orange High Field. On Tuesday afternoon, Chapel Hill will face Voyager Academy at 4PM. On Wednesday, Chapel Hill will face Rolesville at 4PM.
